Stages of Psychosexual Development

Definition

Sigmund Freud’s theory proposing five stages - oral stage, anal stage, phallic stage, latency stage, and genital stage - through which the sexual instinct develops; each stage is associated with a different conflict that must be resolved by the individual in order to develop properly.

Related terms

Fixation:

This term refers to persistent focus of the id’s pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier stage of psychosexual development due to unresolved conflicts.

Oedipus Complex:

A concept in Freud's stages of psychosexual development where a child feels desire for their opposite-sex parent and jealousy towards their same-sex parent during the phallic stage.

Defense Mechanisms:

These are unconscious psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and maintain self-image. They are often used when anxiety occurs due to conflicts between id, ego, and superego.